Sensor storage container

ABSTRACT

This sensor storage container comprises a bottomed cylindrical container body ( 1 ) having an opening in its top face, an opening/closing lid ( 2 ) provided to the opening of the container body ( 1 ) in an openable/closable manner, and an inner case ( 7 ) that is open at its top face and provided within the container body ( 1 ). The opening/closing lid ( 2 ) is linked to the container body ( 1 ) via a hinge portion ( 3 ), at the peripheral edge of the opening of the container body ( 1 ). The inner case ( 7 ) is linked on the hinge portion ( 3 ) side to the opening/closing lid ( 2 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a sensor storage container for holdingflat sensors.

BACKGROUND ART

The sensors used in measuring blood glucose values, for example, aresometimes carried around by a user, in a state in which a plurality ofthem are housed in the sensor storage container. The user then takesthem out one at time from the sensor storage container for use.

When the sensors are taken out of the sensor storage container, the usergrasps the sensor storage container in his hand and tilts or shakes itso that the sensors come out one by one (see Patent Literature 1, forexample).

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2003-146381

SUMMARY

With the conventional sensor storage container disclosed in the abovepublication, there is the risk that the sensors cannot be taken outsmoothly with a method in which the sensor storage container is tiltedor shaken.

Specifically, with this conventional configuration, a sensor removalopening is provided so that the sensors can be taken out one by one.When the sensor storage container is tilted, etc., however, if aplurality of sensors advance toward the sensor removal opening, thesensors end becoming jammed at the sensor removal opening. As a result,there is a risk that the sensors cannot be taken out smoothly.

In view of this, it is an object of the present invention to provide asensor storage container with which sensors can be smoothly taken outone by one.

To achieve the stated object, the sensor storage container of thepresent invention comprises a bottomed cylindrical container body, anopening/closing lid, a hinge portion, an inner case, and a linking body.The container body has an opening in its top face. The opening/closinglid is provided to the opening of the container body in an openable andclosable state. The hinge portion links the container body and theopening/closing lid around the peripheral edge of the opening of thecontainer body, and opens and closes the opening/closing lid withrespect to the container body. The inner case is provided inside thecontainer body, has an opening in its top face, and holds a plurality ofsensors. The linking body links the opening/closing lid with a portionon the hinge portion side of the opening in the inner case.

With the present invention, when the opening/closing lid is opened, theinner case linked to it moves to the opening side within the containerbody, so the sensors held in the inner case can be exposed from theopening in the container body. As a result, the user can easily graspone of the sensors exposed from the opening in the container body withhis fingers and take that sensor out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of the sensor storage container pertaining toEmbodiment 1 of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the sensor storage container in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an oblique view of the state when the sensor storage containerin FIG. 1 has been opened with the fingers;

FIG. 4 is a cross section of the sensor storage container in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross section of the state when a sensor is taken out withthe fingers from the sensor storage container in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exploded oblique view of the configuration of the sensorsstored in the sensor storage container in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7A is a plan view of the configuration of the sensor in FIG. 6, andFIG. 7B is a side view of the configuration of the sensor in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the configuration of the sensor storagecontainer pertaining to Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the configuration of the sensor storagecontainer pertaining to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a detail view of a part of the inner case of the sensorstorage container pertaining to Embodiment 4 of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a see-through view of the sensor storage container pertainingto Embodiment 5 of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a see-through view of the sensor storage container pertainingto Embodiment 5 of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The sensor storage container pertaining to an embodiment of the presentinvention will now be described through reference to the appendeddrawings.

Embodiment 1

The sensor storage container in this embodiment is a container forstoring a plurality of biological sample measurement sensors (sensors 8)used to measure a blood glucose value or the like, and as shown in FIG.1, it comprises a bottomed cylindrical container body 1, anopening/closing lid 2, a hinge portion 3, an inner case 7, and a linkingbody (linking portion) 9.

The bottomed cylindrical container body 1 has an opening in its topface.

The opening/closing lid 2 is provided to the opening of the containerbody in an openable and closable state.

The hinge portion 3 links part of the opening/closing lid with theportion of the container body 1 that is around the peripheral edge ofthe opening.

That is, the opening/closing lid 2 is linked to the container body 1 viathe hinge portion 3 at the peripheral edge of the opening of thecontainer body 1 as shown in FIG. 2. When a lip 4 provided on theopposite side from the hinge portion 3 is lifted up, the opening/closinglid 2 rotates around the hinge portion 3 and goes into its open sate, sothat the opening of the container body 1 is exposed to the outside.

FIG. 3 shows the state when the opening/closing lid 2 has been openedpart way with respect to the container body 1. At this point, thefingers 5 of the left hand hold the container body 1, while the fingers6 of the right hand hold the opening/closing lid 2. From this state,when the opening/closing lid 2 is opened further by the fingers 6, theopening/closing lid 2 enters its completely open state with respect tothe container body 1, as shown in FIG. 4.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inner case 7 is a bottomed cylindrical casehaving an opening in its top face, and is housed in the container body 1in a state of being able to move up and down inside the container body 1along with the opening and closing of the opening/closing lid 2. Asshown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a plurality of the sensors 8 are stored insidethe inner case 7.

The linking body 9 is flexible, and links the portion on the hingeportion 3 side of the opening of the inner case 7 with the portion ofthe opening/closing lid 2 that is away from the end on the hinge portion3 side. More precisely, a first end of the linking body 9 is linked tothe portion on the hinge portion 3 side of the opening of the inner case7. A second end that is on the opposite side from the first end islinked to the portion of the opening/closing lid 2 that is a specificdistance away from the end on the hinge portion 3 side.

That is, the inner case 7 is linked to the opening/closing lid 2 via theflexible linking body 9 on the hinge portion 3 side. Accordingly, asshown in FIG. 2, in a state in which the opening in the top face of thecontainer body 1 has been covered with the opening/closing lid 2, theinner case 7 is supported in the lower space inside the container body1. In this state, the upper ends of the sensors 8 are housed within thecontainer body 1.

In contrast, as shown in FIG. 4, in a state in which the opening/closinglid 2 is fully open with respect to the top face opening of thecontainer body 1, the second end of the linking body 9 moves out of thetop face of the container body 1 along with the opening/closing lid 2,as the opening/closing lid 2 opens. As a result, the inner case 7 ispulled up by the linking body 9 and moves upward within the containerbody 1. In this state, the upper ends of the sensors 8 protrude abovethe top face opening of the container body 1.

Consequently, when a sensor 8 is taken out of the sensor storagecontainer, the upper ends of the sensors 8 pop up from the opening andare released, making them easier to remove.

Also, as shown in FIG. 2, with the sensor storage container in thisembodiment a sloped side face 11 whose lower part is on a linkingportion 10 side and whose upper part is on the opposite side from thelinking portion 10 is provided to the inner face of the inner case 7 onthe opposite side from the linking portion 10 going to theopening/closing lid 2.

Consequently, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, of the sensors 8 inserted intothe inner case 7, the sensor 8 held on the opposite side from thelinking portion 10 is supported in a state of being inclined toward thelip 4 side with respect to the vertical direction.

Furthermore, with the sensor storage container in this embodiment, asloped bottom face 12, which is higher on the linking portion 10 sideand is lower on the opposite side from the linking portion 10 side, isprovided to the bottom face of the inner case 7.

In other words, the sloped bottom face 12 is provided so as to slopedownward from the linking portion 10 side toward the opposite side, inthe bottom portion of the inner case 7.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the sensors 8 inserted into the inner case 7are held in a state in which they are leaning over to the lip 4 sidewith respect to the vertical direction.

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned sloped side face 11 and slopedbottom face 12 are used to adjust the state in which the sensors 8 areheld, so in a state in which the opening/closing lid 2 is open and theinner case 7 has risen up through the container body 1, the upper endsof the sensors 8 are spread apart more than the lower ends, as shown inFIG. 4.

As shown in FIG. 5, this allows the user to easily grasp the portion ofone sensor 8 of the upper end side, and remove that sensor 8.

In this embodiment, the sensors 8 stored in the sensor storage containerare each formed by superposing a flat spacer 14 and a flat cover 15 overa base 13.

More specifically, an electrode 16 that serves as a working electrode,an electrode 17 that serves as a counter electrode, and an electrode 18that serves as a detecting electrode are spaced apart and disposed onthe base 13. A reagent 19 is placed over the electrodes 16 to 18 on thefirst end side of the sensor 8.

Also, a reagent supply path 20 that extends from one end of the sensor 8to above the reagent 19 is formed in the spacer 14.

Furthermore, an air hole 21 is formed in the portion of the cover 15corresponding to the rear side of the reagent supply path 20.

That is, if blood is deposited on the first end side of the reagentsupply path 20, it will advance under the capillary action of thereagent supply path 20 to the reagent 19. The blood will then react withthe reagent 19, and the blood glucose value will thereby be measured. Inorder to carry out this measurement, the electrodes 16 to 18 are exposedon the second end side of the sensor 8 in order to electrically connectthem to the measurement device.

That is, the spacer 14 and the cover 15 are superposed over the base 13on the first end side of the base 13. Meanwhile, on the second end side,which is on the opposite side from the first end of the base 13, thespacer 14 and the cover 15 are shorter than the base 13, so the spacer14 and the cover 15 are not superposed over the base 13.

Consequently, the electrodes 16 to 18 are exposed to the outside,without being covered by the cover 15, etc. Also, since the spacer 14and the cover 15 are not superposed on the second end side of the sensor8, this end is thinner than the first end side.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a plurality of the sensors 8 are stored inthe inner case 7 so that the thinner second end side is facing downwardinside the inner case 7.

Therefore, when there is a change from a state in which the inner case 7is housed in the container body 1 and the opening/closing lid 2 isclosed as shown in FIG. 2, to a state in which the opening/closing lid 2has been opened, the inner case 7 has risen, and the upper end (firstend side) of the sensors 8 are protruding above the top face opening ofthe container body 1 as shown in FIG. 4, the thinner lower end side(second end side) of the sensors 8 is such that the lower ends of theadjacent sensors 8 are packed closely together.

By contrast, the upper ends of the sensors 8 are spaced farther apartfrom the adjacent sensors 8 because the lower ends of the sensors arepacked so closely together. That is, since the sensors 8 are in a statesimilar to when a peacock spreads its feathers, the upper ends of onesensor 8 protruding above the top face opening of the container body 1as shown in FIG. 4 can be easily plucked out as shown in FIG. 5.

The configuration in which the above-mentioned sloped side face 11 andsloped bottom face 12 are sloped in the desired direction alsocontributes to this spreading apart of the upper ends of the adjacentsensors 8.

In this embodiment, as discussed above, in order to spread apart theupper ends of the sensors 8, the lower end sides of the sensors 8inserted into the inner case 7 are made thinner than the upper end sidesthat are grasped with the fingers when the sensors are taken out, so theelectrodes 16 to 18 are exposed, without being covered by the spacer 14and the cover 15.

However, since the electrodes 16 to 18 are inserted facing downward inthe inner case 7, a portion of the electrodes 16 to 18 of the sensors 8is disposed on the bottom face side of the inner case 7. As shown inFIG. 5, this keeps the fingers from touching the electrodes 16 to 18when the sensors are pulled out.

As a result, this prevents the surfaces of the electrodes 16 to 18 frombeing soiled, which would happen if the fingers touched the electrodes16 to 18, and prevents poor electrical connections.

Embodiment 2

The sensor storage container pertaining to Embodiment 2 of the presentinvention will now be described through reference to FIG. 8.

As shown in FIG. 8, in this embodiment an inner case 22 has two (anexample of a plurality) storage portions 23 at positions that aresymmetrical to the hinge portion 3 in a plan view of the sensor storagecontainer.

The storage portions 23 here are each somewhat wider than the sensors ina direction parallel to the hinge portion 3.

Providing a plurality of these storage portions 23 allows a plurality ofsensors 8 to be stored in a neat, vertical state within a single storageportion 23. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, if the inner case 22 is pulled outabove the top face opening of the container body 1, a single sensor 8can be more easily plucked out.

Embodiment 3

The sensor storage container pertaining to Embodiment 3 of the presentinvention will now be described through reference to FIG. 9.

As shown in FIG. 9, in this embodiment an inner case 24 has two (anexample of a plurality) storage portions 25 at symmetrical positionswith respect to the hinge portion 3.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, two adjacent storage portions 25 withinthe inner case 24 have one partition wall 26 that separates them, twobilateral portions 27 that are opposite the partition wall 26, and twoside face portions 28 that link the bilateral portions 27 together. Theside face portions 28 have sloped faces in which the partition wall 26side is located away from the hinge portion 3, and the bilateral portion27 side is located closer to the hinge portion 3 side than the partitionwall 26 side.

Here, the sensors 8 stored in the left and right storage portions 25 arestored in a state of being inclined in different directions. That is,the sensors 8 stored in the left and right storage portions 25 arestored so that they each face the side face portions 28 that are slopedin plan view as mentioned above.

Consequently, when a single sensor 8 stored in the adjacent storageportions 25 is pulled out, since the orientations of the sensors 8stored in the adjacent storage portions 25 are different, the sensor canbe pulled out more easily.

Embodiment 4

The sensor storage container pertaining to Embodiment 4 of the presentinvention will now be described through reference to FIG. 10.

In this embodiment, the side of the inner case 22 shown in FIG. 8 thatis linked to the flexible linking body 9, that is, the wall 29 of thecontainer body 1, is shorter in height than the other walls that make upthe inner case 22. In this state, the first end of the linking body 9 islinked to the upper end of the wall 29.

Consequently, as can be seen from FIG. 4, for example, on theopening/closing lid 2 side, the fingers that pull out the sensor 8 canbe inserted farther down because the wall 29 is lower. This allows asingle sensor 8 to be pulled out more easily.

Specifically, the fingers that grasp the sensor 8 can be insertedfarther down, all the way to the portion where the fingers touch thelinking body 9. Thus, because of the configuration shown in FIG. 10, thefingers can be inserted deeper into the inner case 22, allowing a singlesensor 8 to be pulled out more easily.

Embodiment 5

The sensor storage container pertaining to Embodiment 5 of the presentinvention will now be described through reference to FIGS. 11 and 12.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the inner case 7 has aprotruding stopper 30 on the lower part of the outer peripheral face onthe opposite side from the hinge portion 3.

The container body 1 has a stopper 31 on the upper part of the innerperipheral face on the opposite side from the hinge portion 3.

The stopper 30 on the inner case 7 side and the stopper 31 on thecontainer body 1 side are disposed opposite each other, and when theopening/closing lid 2 is closed, as shown in FIG. 11, the stopper 31 isdisposed above the stopper 30 across from it.

As shown in FIG. 12, with the sensor storage container in thisembodiment, when the opening/closing lid 2 is opened and the inner case7 has risen, the top face of the stopper 30 and the bottom face of thestopper 31 come into contact.

Consequently, the stoppers 30 and 31 hits each other when theopening/closing lid 2 is opened, which keeps the inner case 7 fromflying out of the container body 1.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As discussed above, the effect of the sensor storage container of thepresent invention is that a single sensor can be smoothly taken out, andtherefore the present invention can be widely applied to containers thatstore a variety of sensors.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

1 container body

2 opening/closing lid

3 hinge portion

4 lip

5 finger

6 finger

7 inner case

8 sensor

9 linking body

10 linking portion

11 sloped side face

12 sloped bottom face

13 base

14 spacer

15 cover

16 electrode

17 electrode

18 electrode

19 reagent

20 reagent supply path

21 air hole

22 inner case

23 storage portion

24 inner case

25 storage portion

26 partition wall

27 bilateral portion

28 side face portion

29 wall

30 stopper

31 stopper

1.-9. (canceled)
 10. A sensor storage container, comprising: a bottomedcylindrical container body having an opening in its top face; anopening/closing lid provided to the opening of the container body in anopenable and closable state; a hinge portion that links the containerbody and the opening/closing lid around the peripheral edge of theopening of the container body, and that opens and closes theopening/closing lid with respect to the container body; an inner casethat is provided inside the container body and has an opening in its topface; a linking body that links the opening/closing lid with a portionon the hinge portion side of the opening in the inner case; a pluralityof sensors that are stored in the inner case, that are formed bysuperposing a plurality of flat pieces, and in which the end on thebottom face side of the inner case is thinner than the end on theopening side of the inner case in a state of being stored in the innercase; and a sloped side face that is provided to the inner face of theinner case on the opposite side from the portion on the hinge portionside linked to the opening/closing lid, and that forms a sloped face inwhich the end on the bottom face side is disposed on the hinge portionside, and the end on the opening side is disposed on the opposite sidefrom the hinge portion.
 11. The sensor storage container according toclaim 10, wherein the linking body links the inner case and a portion ofthe opening/closing lid that is away from the end on the hinge portionside.
 12. The sensor storage container according to claim 10, whereinthe sensors have a plurality of flat, non-superposed portions, andelectrodes that are exposed from the non-superposed portions on an endon the bottom face side of the inner case. 13.-14. (canceled)
 15. Thesensor storage container according to claim 10, wherein the linking bodyis flexible. 16.-17. (canceled)
 18. The sensor storage containeraccording to to claim 10, wherein the wall on the side of the inner casethat is linked to the linking body is shorter than the other walls thatmake up the inner case.
 19. The sensor storage container according to toclaim 10, wherein the inner case has a protruding first stopper that isprovided under the outer peripheral face on the opposite side from thehinge portion, and the container body has a second stopper that isdisposed above the inner peripheral face on the opposite side from thehinge portion, and opposite the first stopper.
 20. A sensor storagecontainer, comprising: a bottomed cylindrical container body having anopening in its top face; an opening/closing lid provided to the openingof the container body in an openable and closable state; a hinge portionthat links the container body and the opening/closing lid around theperipheral edge of the opening of the container body, and that opens andcloses the opening/closing lid with respect to the container body; aninner case that is provided inside the container body and has an openingin its top face; a linking body that links the opening/closing lid witha portion on the hinge portion side of the opening in the inner case;and a plurality of sensors that are stored in the inner case, that areformed by superposing a plurality of flat pieces, and in which the endon the bottom face side of the inner case is thinner than the end on theopening side of the inner case in a state of being stored in the innercase; and a sloped bottom face that is provided to the bottom portion ofthe inner case, and that slopes downward from the hinge portion side ofthe bottom face of the inner case toward the end on the opposite sidefrom the hinge portion side.
 21. The sensor storage container accordingto claim 20, wherein the linking body links the inner case and a portionof the opening/closing lid that is away from the end on the hingeportion side.
 22. The sensor storage container according to claim 20,wherein the sensors have a plurality of flat, non-superposed portions,and electrodes that are exposed from the non-superposed portions on anend on the bottom face side of the inner case.
 23. The sensor storagecontainer according to claim 20, wherein the linking body is flexible.24. The sensor storage container according to claim 20, wherein the wallon the side of the inner case that is linked to the linking body isshorter than the other walls that make up the inner case.
 25. The sensorstorage container according to claim 20, wherein the inner case has aprotruding first stopper that is provided under the outer peripheralface on the opposite side from the hinge portion, and the container bodyhas a second stopper that is disposed above the inner peripheral face onthe opposite side from the hinge portion, and opposite the firststopper.
 26. A sensor storage container, comprising: a bottomedcylindrical container body having an opening in its top face; anopening/closing lid provided to the opening of the container body in anopenable and closable state; a hinge portion that links the containerbody and the opening/closing lid around the peripheral edge of theopening of the container body, and that opens and closes theopening/closing lid with respect to the container body; an inner casethat is provided inside the container body and has an opening in its topface; a linking body that links the opening/closing lid with a portionon the hinge portion side of the opening in the inner case; and aplurality of sensors that are stored in the inner case, that are formedby superposing a plurality of flat pieces, and in which the end on thebottom face side of the inner case is thinner than the end on theopening side of the inner case in a state of being stored in the innercase; and wherein the inner case has a partition wall that separates theplurality of storage portions, bilateral portions that are opposite thepartition wall, and side face portions that connect bilateral portionsto each other, and the side face portions have a sloped face that isdisposed at a position where the partition wall side is away from thehinge portion, and at a position where the bilateral portion side iscloser to the hinge portion side than the partition wall side in a planview.
 27. The sensor storage container according to claim 26, whereinthe linking body links the inner case and a portion of theopening/closing lid that is away from the end on the hinge portion side.28. The sensor storage container according to claim 26, wherein thesensors have a plurality of flat, non-superposed portions, andelectrodes that are exposed from the non-superposed portions on an endon the bottom face side of the inner case.
 29. The sensor storagecontainer according to claim 26, wherein the linking body is flexible.30. The sensor storage container according to claim 26, wherein the wallon the side of the inner case that is linked to the linking body isshorter than the other walls that make up the inner case.
 31. The sensorstorage container according to claim 26, wherein the inner case has aprotruding first stopper that is provided under the outer peripheralface on the opposite side from the hinge portion, and the container bodyhas a second stopper that is disposed above the inner peripheral face onthe opposite side from the hinge portion, and opposite the firststopper.